Hay Fever: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Do you suffer every spring and fall from itchy eyes, sneezes and runny nose? If so, you probably have hay fever which is a common term for seasonal allergies. Also known as allergic rhinitis, this common condition has almost the same symptoms as the ones of a cold, with minor treatment differences. Generally speaking, this condition is caused by an allergic response to airborne substances and from pollen from trees, grasses and weeds. People with such allergies usually decrease the exposure to allergens and take prescribed medications, allergy shots or hypnotherapy. The type of treatment usually depends on the allergy stage which is why it's crucial to consult with a doctor before taking some over-the-counter medication.

If new to this, the ideal time to seek help is when your allergy symptoms are interfering with your quality of life, when the hay fever doesn't go away, or when you have some other problems like chronic sinus infections, asthma and polyps in your nose. As mentioned earlier, if your hay fever isn't severe, over-the-counter medications like a range of natural hay fever sprays can relieve the symptoms. However, if they are getting only worse, you might need some prescription medications.

Medications for Hay Fever

If over-the-counter all-natural nasal sprays won't help, you will need stronger sprays, usually based on corticosteroid in order to relieve the stronger hay fever symptoms. Some of the most popular are:

• Nasal corticosteroids are prescription nasal hay fever sprays that can instantly treat nasal inflammation, nasal itching and runny nose caused by hay fever. According to users and doctors, these sprays have proven to be the most effective medications of this kind because the purpose of corticosteroids is to reduce the allergy effects in no time. Usually, these nasal sprays contain mometasone, fluticasone, budesonide, triamcinolone and all of them are available over-the-counter. Although some of you fear because of the presence of corticosteroid, studies have proven that these nasal sprays are completely safe and used as a long-term treatment for a lot of people.
• Antihistamines usually come in the form of pills, however, they are also available in the form of nasal sprays and eye drops. Just like the aforementioned products, these can also help in the relieve of hay fever symptoms. Loratadine, cetirizine and fexofenadine are some of the substances contained in antihistamine products.
• Decongestants are another type of over-the-counter and prescription medications available in the form of liquids, tablets and nasal sprays. The oral decongestants usually contain pseudoephedrine while nasal sprays contain phenylephrine hydrochloride. The main downside of these medications is that they can cause lots of side effects like insomnia, increased blood pressure, headaches, irritability, etc.